So-called driver assistance systems for assisting the driver of a motor vehicle in maneuvering, parking in and/or parking out are known from the state of the art. A driver assistance system typically comprises a sensor arrangement that surveys the surroundings of the motor vehicle, for example, by means of ultrasonic sensors. Known driver assistance systems are designed, in particular, for surveying a parking spot and for assisting the driver in parking the motor vehicle in a parking spot.
A parking assistant is known, for example, from DE 198 09 416 A1. In this case, a driving maneuver calculated by a data processing unit is displayed to the driver of the motor vehicle and information on steering the motor vehicle to a certain destination is provided. In a method carried out with this system, a potential parking spot is approached and surveyed by sensors arranged on the motor vehicle. Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the size of the parking spot suffices for parking in the respective motor vehicle based on stored reference values. If the parking spot has a sufficient size, a parking strategy is calculated in dependence on the dimensions of the parking spot and displayed to the driver of the motor vehicle on a display unit. The driver is then able to execute the proposed parking strategy. While the motor vehicle is maneuvered into the parking spot, a comparison between actual and nominal values is carried out such that a corrected parking strategy can be calculated in dependence on possible deviations. However, the method described in DE 198 09 416 A1 does not provide any information as to how such a correction is carried out.
A parking aid for a motor vehicle is also known from DE 38 13 083 C3. This parking aid comprises distance measuring devices, a data processing unit, control devices and a display unit. Information on a parking maneuver is made available to the driver of the motor vehicle such that the motor vehicle can be steered to a certain destination.
A system-planned driving maneuver basically corresponds to a geometric curve that is composed of at least one, usually of more than one, segment in the shape of a circular arc and/or a straight line. This geometric curve is described by the movement of a certain point on the motor vehicle. The display of the driving maneuver refers to a nominal steering angle and a nominal driving distance for each segment. For example, if a driver executes a system-planned driving maneuver, the actual motor vehicle position and the actual motor vehicle orientation may deviate from the calculated nominal position and the calculated nominal orientation. In this context, the term orientation refers to the alignment of the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle. Such deviations may occur, in particular, if the displayed nominal steering angle is not observed. Inaccurate steering movements by the driver of the motor vehicle, an inadequate observation of the displayed nominal steering angle and system-related tolerances, e.g., the steering wheel play, may be responsible for these deviations